Can-draining machine



May 26, 1925.

G. D- GARDNER v cm nummb MACHINE Filed Nov. 6. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 3e 1- e D Gardner ATTORNEY May 26, 1925. 1,539,475 G. D. GARDNER CAN DRAINING IACHINE 'Filed Nov. 6, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR May 26, 1925 G. D. GARDNER CAN DRAINING MACHINE Filed Nov. 6, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR 6 DGar-dpe May 26, 1925.

G. D. GARDNER cwommme MACHINE Filed Nov. 6. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Gear- 6 9.6a rd'ncr QRNEY a on 0 5 mm). Alam Patented May 26, 1925.

GEORGE D. GARDNER, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

CAN-DRAINING MACHINE.

Application filed November 6, 1924. Serial No. #48402.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon D. GARDNER. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of San Jose. county of Santa Clara. State of California, have made a new and useful invention-*to wit, Improvements in Can-Draining Machines: and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the same.

This invention relates particularly to a machine for draining fluid from open ended vessels such as cans, bottles and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a U121Cl1i1'18 in which open ended containers,

such as cans in which "food-stufi's-are to be preserved, may be drained of fluid either before or after the containers are filled with food-stuffs or prior to filling said containers with syrup or other preserving fluid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can draining machine to which the cansare delivered to the draining machine on a substantially horizontal plane, and subjected to a draining operation through a substantially horizontal plane by said draining machine. and discharged onto a substantially horizontal surface.

A still further object of the invention relates to a can draining machine having can holders thereon, to'which cans to be drained are delivered open end up and after being received in said can holders. through the operation thereof. are inverted open end down. or im'erted into some other angular position with the open end of the can down. and at the completion of the draining operation are delivered open end up to a suitable conveyor.

' Other objects of the invention are to provide can supports on a can draining machine which may be revolved into any predetermined position in conjunction with perforated can covers to be placed over the open ends of the cans, at the commencement of the draining operation for the purpose of bold 'ing the cans on the can holders and removed from the open ends of said cans at the completion of the draining operation, to permit the removal of the cans from the can holders; and to provide a can draining machine that will be superior in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness of construction, positiveness of operation. and facility and convenience in use and general etficiency.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention is illustrated in the? ing the description, it"is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied. In the accompanying four sheets of drawg q I I Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a can draining machine, constructed in accordance with my invention. r I

Fig. 2 is' a plan view of Fig. 1. I Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken through Fig. 2 on the line 3 3.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan view of the gear racks and cam guides for operating the can holders and for actuating the can covers.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic section taken through Fig. 3 on the line 55.

Fig- 6 is a diagrammatic section taken through Fig. 3 on the line 6.-6. I Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic section t through Fig. 3 on the line 77.

Fig. 8' is a. diagrammatic section taken through Fig.3 ontheline 8-8. r i v Fig. 9 is an elevation of the cam used-to= lock 21. can holder ina vertical position."

Fig. 10 is an elevation of a modified form of cam to look a can holder in a vertical and angular position.

In detail, the construction illustrated-in the drawings, comprises, the pedestal base 1 of a can draining machine on the upper end of Which a bowl shaped plat-form 2 is fixedly mounted. The bowl 2 is provided with a centrally hubbed portion 3 which rests upon an annular, shoulderbearing 4 ken formed on the upper end of the pedestal base 1, the bowl and base being held together by means of suitablefastening screws 5. The bowl 2 is provided with an annular shoulder 9 therearound, concentric with the center of the pedestal base 1, and on the outer side of the shoulder 9the bowlis provided with an annular, dished receptaclelO. adapted to receive and collect the fluid drained from the cans during-the draining operation; The outer'periphery of the bowl 2 is formed with a depending, flanged shoulder 11 thereon to which a platform 12 or other equivalent surface member might be securely held-by the bolts 13. V c

V A rive sh ft 6 is arranged c ncent ic ly withinthelpedestalhase 1 and is supported at one end in a bearing 7 positioned in the upper end of the base 1 and at its opposite end journaled in a bearing8- mounted in the lower end of the base 1. The lowerzend of the drive shaft 6 has a bevel gear 88 thereon l meshing with a bevel-driving-; gear -89 fixed on an end of a power shaft 90, connected to alsour eo power, n t S o n- A an ition bearing 14 is arranged; around-the shaft 7 6 in contactvwith the upper end of; the base and; on said: bearing l i rests anannular housing-15 which is keyed to the upper end.

ofthe shaft 6 at 1 6. The housing 15. is 'pro vided with a plurality of alignedfandf radially disposed hub-bearings 17 thereon I An annular member 18 is provided with an annul'arly' recessed lower edge 19 which is adapted to be'rotatably mounted-on theshouldered edge 9 oflthe heme; Then iember lS-isprovided ;,With aplurality of. aligned and radially disposed hub bearings 20'therein. Thej"hub bearings'20ijareequal in number to the hub. bearings 17"on fthe'f member 15 and each of 1 the hub bearings 17 and '201are adapted to align radially-.KA

' circular cover 2 1 is-adapted to be bolted at 22 to the upper-ledge o-f-the auxiliary bearing member 18. V I

Hollow shafts'23, having serrated edges 24, are revolubly mounted in bearings 25. confined within-each of the hub bearings 20-.

Can holder supports 26ih-aving can receiving platforms 27 thereon aie secured to'the projecting ends of the hollow" shafts 23- by the keys 28;; Hollow bevel gears 29 having I serratedv projections 30 and 31 on theiop posite faces thereof, have the projections 30 thereoflocked intoeng-agement with the serrated end edges 24 of the-hollow shafts The bevel gears 29 are rotatably mounted on;

hollow bushings 32 confined -i n't-he hollow 315cm the bevel gears 29'.

shafts 23. Cam members 33 having serrated projections 34 thereon, are rotatably mounted on the bushings 32 with theserrated edges 34 in engagement with the serrated faces Shafts 3-5' are journalfed atthe inner ends thereof in the hubbearings 17 formedon the central housing-men1ber 15, the middle portion of? said shafts35 being rotatably" l confined in the bushings-32, and the outer ends "of: said shafts 135La=re j ournal'ed in bush ings '36 mountedin the can holder-T brackets 25;: Bevelled gears are mounte'dc'on the shafts 35 contiguous to thecamjs and said bevel gears-$37;- arei provided with serrated projections 38? on one :face thereof with which the-serrated projeeti'onsf 39 on' jthe; earns, .40 are lgo'cked into engagement/by wedge pinsj4ljpassingt-hrough the-shafts35,g J i j off geai racks42 -and'43jare fiixedaj 1 2' secured; on; the upper sur ace; of; the bowl f 2, concentriei tQ the drivej shafU-QFaBdqiQ registering alignment with-the orbit" of movement described by the bevel gears 29 and 37 in their rotation around the axisof themain drive shaft 6. [[he gear rack is not a continuous gear rack, only frag- 111911 0323 PO ItlOIIS of gear teeth being proidcd at 44 and 45, for the purposeto be hereinafter described", in detail; [Similarlyp l the gear rack 43 is not. provided withiteeth around its entire circumference; frag-mane tary, gear teeth sections :46 and 47, only,"

being provided at predeterminedintervals; for the purpose tobe hereinafter. described. Contiguous to the gear racks- '42 I and and interposed therebetween; a pair of. cam guides 48' and 49" are concentri (ally positiened leachof Which is in reg- 'istoring contact-with the respec'tlve cams;

and '40. At all times during the orbit of movement of saidjcams 313 :and about.

" of em drive shaft (h ther "cam 1 the and are intimatelyrelated to tion ofrthe respective cams and bevelgears.

In order to hold the hollow:shafts23 and shafts into whatever positions thesame" may be placed by'thel respective bevelgears f 29 37' iI'havearranged depressions-50 and in the cam gu1de 4'8, and depresthe gear'racks42 and 43 for governing and controlllng the operation and actua sions 52- and 53- in thecam guide 49 which said depressions; in conjunction with the raised portions of the 10am guidesnserveftoo hold-the hollow shafts 231'andshafts 35in either of. the horizontal or vertical orangu-v lar positions into which the same are ro-v ice fated by the'hevel gears 29 and 37 mesh-Q with the toothed portions lof rthe gear racks42 and 431 I T i 7 On the ends of the shafts 35," eccentric members are secured and on" which cc:- centric straps- 55am operativelymounted. The free ends of the straps 55 project above that portion of thecan l1older1brackets26 'vihich isopposite t0 the can. holder. platforms 27. On the upper portion ofthe can holder bracket-s26 projecting lugs 5,6"are formed to which the arms 57" of theperforated can coiers "58 are pivotally secured at Ball projections '60are arranged on thecorerarms '57,and the ball ends of said projections arev eccentric straps -3o iieiiolves the eecentric members 54 therearound to cause ztTQOlpIOCatlIlg movement of the'straps-55, whlch,"on=:account of be:

operatively eonfined in open- 'v J'sgsGl' formed in the extended ends of the V Rotation oft-he shaft-s mechanisms, cause the can covers 58 to be moved into closed engagement with the open ends of the cans, at the beginning of the can draining operation, and to be locked into engagement therewith during said operation through the action of the cams 40 and cam guides 49. The can covers 58 are locked over the open ends of the cans during the time that the cans are inverted for draining purposes, and said covers are released from engagement with the open ends of the cans at the'completion of the can draining operation to permit the drained cans being removed from the can holders.

The rotation of the can holder by the gear 29 and racks 44 and 45 throughout two separate arcs of 180 each, is synchronously accompanied by rotation of the cover eccentric 54 through two separate arcs of movement of 180 each. The cam- 40 on the shaft connected to the eccentric 54 has but one flat face and is turned through 360 at each operation, whereas the cam on the can holder has two fiat faces and is turned through two separate arcs of'180 each at each operation.

In order to supply cans tothecan holders for draining purposes, I have provided an endless belt 63 having its-upper surface arranged substantially horizontal, and level with the end of the'platform 12'mounted on the edge of the bowl 2. The cans are placed indiscriminately upon the belt 63 and as the cans near the draining machine, one side thereof is forced into engagement with the revolving spiral feed screw 64 which serves to space the cans apart a predetermined distance, and to advance them into position between the guide member 65 and timer 66. Thetimer 66 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of a shaft 67 journaled in bearings 68 and 69 secured to the pedestal base 1. A bevel gear 70 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 67 and said bevel gear meshes with a companion bevel gear 71 mounted on the end of a driving shaft 72, which is supported in bearings 73 and 74 secured to the base 1. The driving shaft 72 is connected to a source of driving-power, not shown. The timer 66 is rotated in unison with the revolving of the can holders 27, so that said can holders will be supplied with cans open end up after the can holders come into registering communica-' tion with the space between the can guide 65 and timer 66. The cans are delivered onto the can holders in the vertical position open end up. As the can holders commence to revolve on a horizontal plane about the axis of the drive shaft ,6, the first operation that takes place is that of the can covers 58 closing onto the open ends of the cans, This operation is brought about by the bevel gears 37 on the shafts 35 engaging the gear rack 46, andbeing revolve t eby'which action lowers the can covers into engagement. with the open ends of the cans. In unison with the lowering movement of the can covers, the cams 40, on the shafts 35, ride off of the elevated portion of the cam guide 49 into the can covers in either the fullyopened or 7 fully closed positions. Duringthe time that the circular peripheries of thecams 40 enter the cam guide depression 52 the can covers are moving into or from the fully opened or fully closed positions Immediately after the cove1s are closed onto the cans, the bevel gears 29 are moved into engagement with the gear rack 44, to rotate the can holders about the axes of. the shafts 35. Synchronouslyv with the bevel gears 29 and rack 44 becoming enmeshed, the cams 33 connected tosaid bevel gears 29- move from the elevated portion of the cam guide 48 into the depression 50 therein. The cams33 serve to lock the can holders in a vertical position,

and during the period thatthe cams 33 en-v counter the depression 50, in the cam guide 48, the can holders are permitted to revolve. Immediately after the can holders complete the turning operation, the cams 33 rise. out of the depression 50 up onto :the. elevated portion of the guide way 48 to'hold thecan holders in a vertical position, preferably with the open end ofthe can down,- to permit the draining thereof. The can holders continue to move around the axis of the shaft 6 in an inverted position, until such time as the bevel gears 29 engage the gear rack 45-and the cams 33 enter in the depres sion 51 to ermit the can holders to be turned over to p ace the open ends of said cans up. Upon the starting of the can holders turning operation the bevel gears 37 engage thegcar rack 47 and the cams 40 encounter the cam depression '53 which permits the covers 58 to be elevated away from the open ends of the cans. During the remainder of.

the draining operation the can holders position the cans in a vertical position open end up with the can cover open. "Atthe completion of the drain-ing operation the cans are automatically removed from the can holders by a timer 75 fixedly mounted-on the end of a shaft 76, journaled in bearings 77 and 78 mounted on the base 1; The lower end of the shaft 76 is provided with a bevel gear 79 thereon meshing with a companion bevel gear 80 fixed on the driving shaft 72; The timer 75 moves the cans out of the can holders into engagementwith a'curved can guide 81fromwhich the cans are moved into engagement with a spiral feed screw 82 by mean of which the cans are advanced from the "platform 12 to the syrupingmachine in- V 'dicated' at83 or into placement With any other desired form ofapparatus. The draining operation oftheicans, as Well'as the de livery andidischarge of the cans to the drain- 7 ing' machine; 7 is carried on throughout a substantially horizontalplane, in contra distinction to convent1onal types of can draining machines in which the cans are disserve to hold the cans at an angle 'to the-yer 7 tom end up during tical, :Whereby said 1 cans might be drained angularly either of two directions. Although I have shown and described cams whichwillmaintain the can holders in the verticallposition for draining purposes 'I do not Wish to be limited exclusively thereto, inasmuch" as. the form of .camshown in Fig. 10 wouldserve to cause the functioning of my invention inan equally desirable manner.

; .Having thus d scribed this invention to secure byLet:

what 'I claim and desire ters'Patent is i 1. A' can dralning jmachine .comprising,

' can fholders means to advance cans to and from said can holders; and means to move said can holderson a substantially lIOI'lZOIb tal plane and to invert said can holders botmovement. i v p 7 2. Aean draining machine, comprising, a

can. feeder and a can removerarranged on a substantially common plane and a can draining means'operatively connected to said can feeder and can removenad'apted to in vert cans, bottom end'up, between said can I feeder and can removerand on substantially thesameplane. r A can-draining machine comprising; a plurality of can holders; and means for turningsaid can holders bottom end up on a horizontal-plane. p v

44 A can draining Imachine comprisinga plurality of can holder's movable on a substantiallyhorizontal plane;-a can supply-inlet'and a can supply discharge communr catingwith said can holders; and means-toactu'a'te' said can holdersto receive a can.

open end up from saidcan'supply inlet, invert said can bottom end up and discharge 7 said can open end'up to said can supply dis-V charge. 7 r r W v 5 A can dralningimachinecomprlsmg a the period of: the latter" plurality of can holders having 'a path-of movement on a substantially horizontal vplane; a cansupplyinlet and a'can supply discharge communicating on the same'plane with said can holders; and means toa'ctuate said can holders to receive a can open end up ironi said can supply inlet, invert said can bottomrendup="andidischarge said can open end up to said-can supply discharge. -V

'6; A can draining machine comprising, a"

drive shaft; a plurality of radially disposed driven shafts journaled in saiddriven shaft; can holders on each of thedriven shafts; means to supply cans to said ean holders; means to receive cans discharged from said holders; means to turnsaid drive shaft and means'to'movef said driven 'shaftsandcanj" holders throughout an arcof three hundred and sixty degrees on asubstantially 'hori 7' i 7 can supply; and can zontalplane between the discharge a r n v h 719A can drainingmachine'coin-prising, a drive shaft; a plurality'ofradially disposed driven shafts journaled insaid drive shaft; i l' means to supply cans to said can holders; 7 means to receive :cans discharged' fromsaid' can holders oneach of the-driven'shafts;

holders; means to I turn said drive shaft; means tomove said driven shafts and can holders to turn sa d can holders} into an -in verted positionj adjacent the can supply and.

means to holdsaidcan'holders in aninvert: ed position prior to saidcanjholders reach ing'the can-discharger '8; A- can-draining machine comprising, a base; a 'driveshaft rotatably mounted on saidbase ;--a bearing member secured to said drive shaft; a plurality of can holders ro- "tatably journaledin said bearing member; means to revolve said drive shaft," bearingmember and can holders; and co-engaging means on-the can holders and base to turn each can holder into a plurality of positions and effect complete rotation-thereof during each complete revolution ofthe drive shaft.

9. A can drainingmachine-comprising,;a

base; a drive-shaft rotatably mounted on said base; a bearing member secured to said drive shaft; a pluralityor' canholders ro-' tatably 'jou-rnaled in 'saidfbearing member; means to revolve saiddrive shaft, bearing member and can holders co-engaging means I on the can holdersand base'to turn each-can holder into a plurality ofpositi'ons througl'iout a singlerevolution during each complete revolution of the drive shaft; andco-engagmg meanson the oan holdersand base to hold each".can holder said plurality-of P S ti i a r a 10. can; gdraining machine comprising; 'ajbase; a drive shaft rotatably mounted on saidbase a bearing member securedto said drive shaft; a plurality'ofcan holders 'roQ tatably journ'aled insaid beaPingmember;

means to revolve said drive shaft, bearing il l member and can holders; and co-engaging means on the can holders and base to progressively move each can holder into an upright and inverted and upright position during a complete revolution of the drive shaft.

11. A can draining machine comprising, a base; a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base; a bearing member secured to said drive shaft; a pluralitv of can holders rotatably journaled in said bearing member; means to revolve said drive shaft, bearing member and can holders; co-engaging means on the can holders and base to progressively move each can holder into an upright and inverted and upright position during a complete revolution of the drive shaft; and coengaging means on the can holders and base to hold each can holder in an upright or in verted position.

12 A can draining machine comprising, a base; a. drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base; a bearing member secured to said drive shaft; a plurality of can holders rotatably journaled in said bearing member; means to revolve said drive shaft, bearing member and can holders; a bevel gear on each can holder; and gear racks arranged on said base, concentrically with said drive shaft, to mesh with each can holder gear during each complete revolution of said drive shaft to progressively revolve each can holder into an upright and inverted and upright position. V

18. A can draining machine comprising, a base; a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base; a bearing member secured to said drive shaft; a plurality of can holders rotatably journaled in said bearing member; means to revolve said drive shaft, bearing member and can holders; a bevel gear on each can holder; gear racks arranged on said base, concentrically with said drive shaft, to mesh with each can holder gear during each complete revolution of said drive shaft to progressively revolve each can holder into an. upright and inverted and upright position; and co-engaging means on each can holder and the base to hold each can holder in an upright or inverted position.

14. A can draining machine comprising, a base; a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base; a bearing member secured to said drive shaft; a plurality of can holders ro tatably journaled in said bearing member; means to revolve said drive shaft, bearing member and can holders; a bevel gear on each can holder; gear racks arranged on said base, concentrically with said drive shaft, to mesh with each can holder gear during each complete revolution of said drive shaft to progressively revolve each can holder into an upright and inverted and upright position; a cam member on each can holder; and a cam guide arranged on said base, c011- centrically with said drive shaft, to engage said can holder cam member "during each complete revolution of said drive shaftfto progressively maintain each can holder in an upright and inverted and upright position.)

15. A can draining machine comprising, a base; a drive shaft rotatably mountedon said base; a bearing member secured to said drive shaft; a plurality of can holders rotatably journaled in said bearing member; an independent can clamp arranged on each of said can holders; means to revolve said drive shaft, bearing member, and-can holders; and co-engaging means on the base and can holders to operatively actuateeach can holder and can clamp and completely revolve each-can holderand can clamp into a plurality of positions during each complete revolution of the drive shaft. 1 a

16.. A can draining machine comprising, a base; a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base; a bearing member secured to said drive shaft; a plurality of can holders rotatably journaled in said bearing member; an independent can clamp arranged on each of said can holders; means to revolve said drive shaft, bearing member, and 1 can holders; co-engaging means on the base and y can holders to operatively actuate'each can holder and can clamp and completely revolve each can holder and can clamp into a plurality of positions during each domplete revolution ofthe drive shaft; and means to operate each can clamp at the start and finish of the revolution of operation of each can' holder.

17. A can draining machine comprising, a base; a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base; a bearing member secured to said drive shaft; a bearing frame rotatably mounted on said base; a pair of independent gear racks on said base concentric withsa-id drive shaft; a plurality of hollow shafts rotatably journaled in said bearing frame; a bevel gear on each of said hollow shafts enmeshed with oneof said gear racks; can holders mounted on said hollow shafts; a plurality of shafts j ournaled in said bearing member and in said hollow shafts; a bevel gear on each of said shafts enmeshed with the other of said gear racks; can clamps on said can holders movably related to said last mentioned shafts; and means to rotate said drive shaft to actuate each of said can clamps and to revolve each of said can holders into a plurality of positions during a single revolution of said drive.

18. A can draining machine comprising, a base; a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base; a bearing member securedi to said drive shaft; a-bearing frame rotatably mounted on said base; a pair of independent gear racks on said base concentric with said drive shaft; a pair of independent cam guides on said base concentric with said drive shaft; a plurality of hollow shafts rot tabli beve 6n bf isaid hollow -sha 'f t's engaging On of s A n ia'idQJmlldW shafts; "a lurality of shafts aid cam guides; can holders mounted on ixilfefdTinl sa id bearing member. and in 'a' id hell bW shafts; a bevel geanon each of Saidihdftfs enmeshed wi thfthe other of said gem" lacks; n cam on each 1 of said shafts engaging thenother 0f saidcam guides; can

" wee-m said canclamps and 't' revglve each of; said ean' holders iadto, pluralitypf pesit iens" duringagsingle revolution of saidfdiive'shaft and to hold said can-clamp and can holder a 7. In testimon 4 *ggomnib;

'lockedin each. of gsgpidv plurality xofzpqs itions 7 'duringthe' Singlejrevolution offsaid 'drixie I U whereof, I have hereunto feet my'handnat an Francisco, Qaliferniaithis 7 1 20th dayofQctober, 1-9245} n cls'ufnps )n saidicanholders n-mo v arbly related r lhe gaifi lgst mentioned shafts; and means to 

